India, Sri Lanka to resume ferry services after 25 years
By DPA, IANSFriday, January 7, 2011
COLOMBO - Sri Lanka and India Friday reached agreement on resuming passenger ferry services between the two countries that were disrupted 25 years ago by Sri Lanka’s civil war, officials said.
The Indian high commissioner in Colombo, Ashok Kantha, signed the agreement with Sri Lankan Ports Ministry Secretary Sujatha Cooray in the Sri Lankan capital.
“Resumption of these services signals an important step in the restoration of the traditional links between the two countries,” an Indian High Commission statement said.
The services would operate from Sri Lanka’s ports in Colombo and Talaimannar to the southern Indian ports of Tuticorin and Rameswaram and would cut the costs of travelling between the two countries.
No date for the resumption of the ferry services was given.
Travel between India and Sri Lanka has increased since the defeat of Tamil separatist rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 2009. They had fought the government for 26 years.
